


The Truth

by RobotdragonX



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Kissing, Reader-Insert, Romance, Shipping, Sneaking Around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 15:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12484416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobotdragonX/pseuds/RobotdragonX
Summary: She's always caught your eye, and you've been more than happy to be her friend. But as time marches on, you begin to want something more.The opportunity comes in a broken heart, and a chance to mend it.Shirley X Male reader





	The Truth

"Mmm,"

"Hey! Wake up!" You felt a soft finger tap you on your forehead and suddenly the sweet pool of darkness that was your sleep gave way to the oddly bright lights of Ashford.

Your friend, Milly, pointed at the chalkboard, but by then, it was too late.  
"Ah, Mr. Y/N! Could you tell us the name of the battle?"

The teacher, a balding, kind man who'd never given you too much strife, now struck you with this random question. Battle?

"Umm...The Battle of Shinjuku?"

Milly gave a facepalm, and from behind you, it sounded like Rivalz found it pretty funny. The teacher shook his head, a disappointed look on his face. "No, no Y/N. Washington's rebellion was not quelled at the incident a couple months ago."

Well, shoot. With all the hubbub about it, you'd think it was.

"Can anyone else answer?"

A delicate hand rose out from the class, and the most pleasant of voices gave a response.  
"It was at the battle of Yorktown..Er, wasn't it?"

"Correct, Ms. Fenette! I hope you'll take some lessons from her, Mr. "Y/N."

The class all chuckled at that one, and from across the room, Shirley gave you a playful wink. That sight suddenly made the embarrassment all the more worthwhile.

She turned back to the teacher, as did the rest of the class, but you kept looking. It was always kind of difficult to stop looking at someone...Someone like her.

The way her hair seemed to glow in the sunlight, and ignite a wave of warmth into the room and a flame in your heart. How her green eyes and contagious smile almost seemed to physically heal you. And that was being modest.

"Y/N? Y/N!"

"Y-yes!"

"Are you here to learn or are you here to gawk at Ms. Fenette's academic prowess?"

The class laughed pretty good at that. Rivalz was doing everything he could to hold back tears, and Milly herself was giving that mischevious smile you'd gotten far too used to.

Even Shirley herself giggled. Cute as it was, you now wished it had been for a different reason. You glared on at the clock, and thanked god that there was only five minutes left to go.

After class, you stared down at your mish-mashed bunch of books, shoving them into your locker and getting ready. "Heeeyy! What's up lover boy!?" You feel your shoulders pulled down, and you recognize Rivalz's mocking voice in an instant.

"Your mouth's moving, but all I hear is BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!" You try to match his tone and hopefully direct the conversation away from today's incident, but to no avail.

"You sure were invested in history class..." His eyebrows raised devlishly, and the red in your cheeks only made the direction of this conversation inevitable. Out of the corner of your eye, you thought you saw blonde hair.

 _pleasenotmillypleasenotmillypleasenot-  
_ "Y/N! Fancy seeing you here!"

Your face turns into a frown. "Don't you even start, Madame President."

"Start what?" She shrugged, her eyes closed, but her grin matching Rivalz.

"It's really obvious, Y/N. Shirley's been your favorite out of all of us since this year started."

You slam your locker and begin to storm down the hall, watching for other students as the twins of terror weaved after you. "She's a nice, friendly girl. So what if she's my friend?" They now came abreast to you, Milly touching your shoulder.

"I'm your friend, Y/N. Are you going to start making eyes like that at me?" She put her hands to her cheeks and made another dumb face.  
"Knock it off!"

"Alright, alright," She exhaled. "You really need to lighten up."

You all walked around the near-labyrinthian hallways of Ashford. The first year you came here, you'd gotten lost several times. Those first few weeks were pretty rough, being constantly late at nearly every class.

Then you ran into Shirley. Without a second thought, she risked tardiness to help a weird-looking kid like you make it to the chemistry midterms. That's was the first thing you noticed about her. How selfless and caring she was.

Finally, you reached the doors, flopping open and shut from the crowd of students heading out for the afternoon.

"You got any plans, Madame President?" Rivalz asked in a puppy-like manner. He probably didn't even know about her Fiance yet, and picking the one to deliver the news had become a private debate in the student council.

"I'm going to have to plan the springtime activities. I was thinking something like surprise flowers!"

"Surprise flowers?" You asked.  
Yep, YOU asked. You just HAD to ask.

"Actually, I wanted to hunt you down because I felt like you would be my first test subject."

Oh no.

She reached inside of the book bag she'd slung over her shoulder. Some rustling noises came from the bag, and the moment you saw it, your worst fears were confirmed.

In red, cursive letters, her name was etched. Heart and everything.

_For my dear Shirley._

Leave it to the prez to go through this much trouble to embarrass you.

"No. Way."

She hands them to you anyway, shrugging her shoulders. "Hey now, I'm not making you deliver these or anything. I'm just giving you some flowers. You can hand them out to anyone you like...Or love!" She said that last part a little loud.

"PREZ!" You swipe the flowers away from her, shoving them down into your bag.

"The early bird gets the worm, Y/N. They just need to leave the nest," Milly smiled, twirling her finger as she walked off down to the clubhouse. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Your blue-haired friend chases on after her, behind in both physical range, and in love. "Wait for me!"

You sigh, deciding to take the alternate route out of Ashford. She was always usually waiting at the fountain to walk to the dorms with the rest of the council, but after today, you _really_ didn't want to face her. Turning left, you go down the sidewalk that takes you on a path behind the gym, just trying to make it to your room and think things over. Maybe you'll finish that game that's been giving you strife only halfway through the campaign.

Just as you reach the edge of the school's property, a feminine shape pops out from the hedge like a spectre.

"Um..Hey!"

Shirley! Her voice makes you jump with excitement, your head spinning in it's direction. Rivalz, Milly, and Kallen are nowhere in sight. Even with her dumb jokes, Milly could be pretty helpful on a good day. Now, without her to guide you, your chest is racing with the possibilities. What will she say? How will she react?

You rush into the grass, ready to call her out from over the hedge and meet her around the corner. Fumbling for the flowers, you decide it'd be better to just run around and call to her.

And waiting there, is a black-haired student you recognize immediately. Your friend, Lelouch.

"Hey Lulu!"

And then, it came clear to you. Shirley, her silky hair bouncing back and forth as she jogged to him, held two tickets in her hand. You jump back behind the hedge and watch.

And of course, as predicted, you don't like what you see.

Lelouch Lamperouge, a fellow transfer student from brittania and actually one of the coolest people you've ever met. You've hung out a few times, talked about the weird facts and histories of the worlds various nations over the years, and no matter how many times he beats you at chess, he's never rubbed it in your face.

And of course, she's crazy about him.

"Oh! What's up Shirley?"  
"N-nothing. That class sure was long though, wasn't it?"  
Something about her voice. Oddly nervous and the kind of small talk that could only lead to something totally unrelated.

"Yeah, science was never my kind of subject. Nina's usually the genius in that department."

"I know. Glad she lets me copy her notes!"

They both chuckled, smiling at her comment, and making your chest twist with pain.

"So...Listen, Lulu. I was wondering...There's this concert I wanted to go to. Classical, with a lot of stuff by Mozart and Beethoven...Y-you know, the classics!"

He nodded, a soft smirk from her odd little redundancy.

Here it comes. You want to hide away from this scene, run away and forget it even happened.

"I've got two tickets...And if you want, maybe we can go together?"

With that, all of your enthusiasim dies. A rosy, cute blush on her face is made hideous by context, and it makes it clear that it's not your attention she's after, nor would she ever seek it.

You storm away from the scene, caring little if they see you. Walking around a corner, a nearby trash can presents itself, and you shove the flowers inside.

The walk to your dorm is long, and the silence of your room makes the night even longer.

School the next day goes by like normal, but everything now seems like a black cloud.

Every time that walk down the hall, you keep a look out for her. That hopeful, stupid part of your mind tells you that maybe, just maybe, you have a chance to talk to her and you'll walk together back home and something, _anything_ could happen.

Every time you do, that moment replays in your head and strains your chest.

"Hey, what's going on, 'Y/N?'"

"Nothing prez, I'm just a little sick."

You're leaning on her locker just after gym class, feeling even more drained after an intense session of basketball.

"Physically or spiritually?"

Rolling your eyes, you stand back up as she shuts her locker, walking alongside her down the hall. "A little of both?"

She smiles slyly, and you lean back in apprehension. "Is it because of some _thing_ , or some _one_?"  
Milly already knows, and there's enough playing around.

It's about her.....And Lelouch."

She then paused, considering the question before sighing. "Oh dear, I was so excited to see your happy ending through that I completely forgot about that."

With a facepalm, you storm down the hall, Milly speeds up next to you. "Now, now. That doesn't mean she'll fawn over him forever."

You remain silent. Someone like Lelouch was smart, attractive, and most girls at the school would walk across hot coals to get to even speak to him. If Shirley felt the same way about him as you did about her, it would take some time.

"What even happened?" She asked, pulling you by the arm of your school uniform to the side of the hall.

You tell her, and she shakes her head. "You're kidding me! You didn't even stick around to hear the answer?"  
"I doubt that I'd want to hear it."

"And what if he said 'no?'"

Again, you hold back, still a little apprehensive about exposing your underbelly to Milly. In truth, even if he did say no, it would still hurt to see tears on Shirley's face. Seeing such a friendly, energetic girl's hopes get crushed would be almost as bad.

"How about this, the next time you run into her, ask her about the date. Just mention it casually!"

"Right. I'll try that," you mumble. Even then, it'd be easier to let this hope die that let it rip you apart all over again.

"I'll be off. Got to help arrange this week's equestrian meeting."

"Alright, and Prez?"

She turns back, "Yeah, 'Y/N?'"

"Thanks for giving me a chance."

Her sly smile comes back again. "I live to serve!" Her fist raised with gusto, she marches off down the hall.

You're just thankful that you've got enough friends to help you bounce back from this.

The school bell rings one final time, and you are free once again.

The weather is cloudy, and a little chilly. You throw on a light coat, and head out to your dorm, not really planning to do much else but finish that one darn level in your new game.

Maybe you'll call Lelouch or Suzaku over, or skip the whole game thing and chat with Nunnally a little.

No..no. Not quite yet. With the uncertainty of Lelouch and Shirley's status over your head, you still aren't quite ready to talk to him yet. Still, maybe you'll give him a call to probe him a little...Naw, that'd just be...Weird?

A blue shape just moved behind that bush. Over by the sidewalk to the swimming pool.

The bushes move once again, and now you're sure that you are not alone out here.

"Hey! Who's that."

A patch of hair pops out, and you find it familiar. Taking careful steps, you walk on over until the bush starts talking to you.

"Y/N! Over here!"

It's...Shirley?  
"Umm...Hi?"

"Quick! Over here!"

You walk on over, peering over the top of the bush to see her.

As you do so, she covers the lower half of her face, blushing red as a beet and her eyes darting back and forth.

Crouched behind the bush, Shirley is wearing only her blue school swimsuit, and carrying a wet towel over her shoulder.

"Hey Shirley...Why...?"  
She pulls you down next to her, looking around in that brief moment to make sure no one is watching.  
As you both crouch down in the grass, a light scent of her hair catches you offguard. Now you're looking into those rich, green irises as she shivers in the cold.

"Someone stole my clothes!"  
"What!?"

She sighs, looking as if she was embarrassed to have to tell the story. "Be a pal and don't tell the prez, will ya?" You nod, urging her along with a wave of your hand. Her face is now a cute shade of pink you can't stop gazing at.

Why would anyone want to steal her clothes?

"About what?" You finally manage to whisper out.

"Well...I went to the meet and was talking with my friends...But some of the other girls...They weren't so happy."

"What did you do?"

She blushed again, and with that, you knew you wouldn't exactly like the answer.

"Well...I asked Lelouch out to this concert."

You made a face as if to say "Oooh, I see," as if findng out for the first time. Ears open, you're now eager to hear the outcome.

"...It turns out I'm not the only one who's had their sights on Lelouch."

Well, _duh_.

"He's a popular product on the market," You joke, she gives a small smile, but still shivers.

At that moment, you rip off your jacket and hand it to her. Shirley takes it without a moment's hestiation, reveling in it's warmth.

"Sorry, but I don't know if I can do anything about your legs and feet."

Still shivering, she looks down at them, then glances over down the path to the girl's dorm. "I don't want to be a bother, but could you walk me back to my room?"

"For you, anything!" Despite the situation, you jump at the opportunity to at least have a few minutes with her, and maybe pursue the answer you'd been seeking.

You decide to tread a little bit ahead, making sure to kick any sticks or rocks that might be in her way. She's had it bad enough already.

"So why did that warrant stealing your clothes? You'd think that was going a little far."  
"It's not just that..." Her expression became crestfallen, while the wind swing strands of her wet hair in the chilled wind. "Lately...I've heard them talking..."

"Talking about what? They're not talking bad or anything, are they?"  
"They say I'm annoying...That I'm don't deserve someone like Lulu and that I should just..."

A small tear rolled down her cheek, and it was clear this wasn't just the cruel prank. Shirley was strong, and would rise above something stupid like that.

"Shirley...You know you can tell me...Right?"

She glanced back and forth, a couple times at the concrete and back at you.

"...He's...Not interested."

"...No?"

"There's someone else, he says. He's been seeing her for a few weeks, and I didn't even know about it in the first place."

Joy and empathy went to war in your heart. On one hand, you still had a chance, but it would just seem wrong to swoop in after her with a heart so heavy.

"Celica, or something. I'm mean, that's fine...I know I'm not that appea-"

"Shirley Fenette, if you finish that sentence, I'm going to rip that coat right off of your shoulders!"

She stops, frozen in her tracks.

"Okay, okay, I wouldn't. But don't think for a second that you're not worth anything."

You start walking again, but she falls silent. Again you probe her, but she doesn't answer.

By the time you're in front of the girl's dormitory, she's crying.

"...Shirley?"

"It's just...I just..."

There hadn't been  time to heal those wounds. And what she told you next made it clear. This was just the latest in a series of cruel things being said about her. It was amazing what young women would say to put themselves above someone who they thought was luckier than them.

Between her tears, she tells you about the crude jokes, the remarks about how she looks, and every one of them shakes you to your core. Despite their achievements after so many swim meets, they'd backstabbed her because of something that wasn't even their own _damn_ business.

"I'm sorry, Y/N...For wasting your time...Here..."

She thrusts the coat back into your hands and rushes back inside. 'Doesn't even say goodbye, and rushes inside of the dorm's lobby.

A couple other girls look bewildered as a crying blur of orange hair rushes past them. Watching that was the hardest thing you had to experience in a long time.

Yet again, you walk to your dorm, feeling worse than you hand coming out here.

Valentine's day rolls around a few days later. Sweethearts are chatting in the hallway and special plans are being made at every corner of Ashford Academy.

And amongst the kisses, heart decorations, and confessions, Shirley is nowhere to be found. You ask Lelouch about it, but he only shrugs, and ponders that thought himself. If only he really knew how tied to it he probably was. But it wouldn't be fair to blame him, so you simply nod and go about your day.

Finally, the day comes to an end, and the Student council meeting comes rolling around.

Milly of course, comes up with some kind of bizarre game-show style event, where the names of every girl in school is drawn from a hat, and the chosen few are to sit by while participating guys come up and answer some classroom trivia.

You don't bother to mention that Valentine's Day will be OVER by then, though. She's happiest when she's having her fun.

"It'll be academic, and romantic!"

"I hardly see what's so romantic about giving away girls like prizes.." Suzaku mumbles, playing a game with Arthur while being careful not to get bitten.

"But you see, it's not like any dumb guy will be able to win! You'll have to have the smarts and the wit to get your lady!"

Milly looks at you when she says that, but you merely nod, and let out a soft sigh. She holds her gaze for a second, before continuing her pitch to the rest of the council. Lelouch, sharing the same kind of curiousity you have, agrees to the idea, as does everyone else.

By the meeting's end, you start to dart for the exit when Milly's hand grasps your collar. "Wait a minute, romeo. You're gonna have a talk with me."

"Why Y/N?" Rivalz moans. "You never pull me aside like that."

You frown, thinking that even Rivalz should know why.

"This is a private talk! Just me and Y/N! The rest of you are exempt!"

Carefully pushing Suzaku and Lelouch out, you notice she even nudges Arthur out into the hall as well, leaving you unsure as to why a cat would need to leave.

"Now then..." She smiled, before her tone fell a little more serious. "I'm sure by now you've heard about the other girls and your Juliet?"

Oh...That.

"Yep."

She sighs leaning back against the wall and playing with her nails. "I'm surprised those girls aren't in cages for that. No-good harpies...."

"Is she okay?'

Milly nodded, exhaling silently. "I didn't hear from her until this morning. She didn't come to school today either, apparently she's sick. She called me this morning and told me she wanted some company, so I agreed to come over and visit."

Your pulse relaxes, knowing that at least she's going to be alright. For now.

"...Which is why you're going to be the one to comfort her instead of me!"

"..Wait, what!?"  
She then reached for a nearby bookshelf, grabbing a thin, hard-cover book. "You see this?"

An eyebrow raised, and still surprised from her sudden blackmail, you barely register what she's trying to do, or why she's carrying a book in the first place. "Umm...yeah?"

Milly drops it on her foot, and then starts crying and moaning in pain.

"Owwow...Well it looks like I've hurt my foot and now I can't go see her!" She made a dopey face as you stared in disbelief. How many more times would this girl twist your arm during your stay at this academy?

"Y/N! ARE YOU HURTING MY PRECIOUS MILLY IN THERE!?"

"Rivalz!" She shouts, "GO AWAY!"

"Ack! Sorry!" A clatter of shoes moves away from the door, and once again you two are alone.

Milly shakes her head, looking back down at you. "Now don't give me that look, Y/N? What's the worst that can happen?"  
"I could make her feel worse," You put flatly, "Or what happens if she brings up Lelouch again?"  
"He's not the only man in her life, you know."  
The room falls silent with that statement, and she gives you a sly grin. Now she's just teasing you. "What do you mean?"

"There's a lot of things Shirley admires about you too. Your creativity, your strange sense of humor. She thinks more of you than you'd think."

"Then why do I never hear about it?"

She giggles. "Come now, Y/N. Do you really think that a woman gives away all the secrets of her heart?"

"...Why do you tease me so?"

  
"I deliver hope. Don't mistaken my actions for something else. Go to her, and who knows? Maybe you'll be sharing a smoothie with each other a week from now."

Milly is very wise, even if it seems like she's always messing with you. She wouldn't do this unless she thought you'd be better off.

"Okay...Thanks, Madame president."

"Your welcome! Now on getting you in there..."

"In...?" And then you remember. The girl's dorm. Off-limits to any men except the staff, and even they were conservative about their transit on the property.

"My dear Y/N, have you ever watched the Batman television show from the 60s?"

She reaches in the closet, and you already know what she's getting.

Night falls early, as it tends to around this time of year. Both of you are dressed in light jackets, standing in the icy chill of the February evening.

And like two thieves, you both stand outside of the dormitory windows.

"Do you even KNOW what they'll do to you if they see you helping me like this?"  
"All is fair in love and war."  
"Milly. This is _Tresspassing_. I'm a _guy_ at a _girl's dorm_."

She tilts her head. "And you really think that any girls won't be out with their boyfriends, sharing kisses in theaters and such?"

You end the argument there. The truth was, you really did want to see Shirley, even if it was just to see if she was okay. Your only issue was getting caught and possibly being expelled for being a "peeping tom." You had a friend at this school who got caught doing the same thing around this time of year, being a little lonelier than most guys. You were also pretty sure he ate paste. Weird dude.

With a strange precision, Milly grabbed the hooked end of the rope, swinging it around until she tossed it right on the side of the building, catching a stone edge. You reclined from asking her how she was so good at that.

She tugged on it, until she was absolutely sure you wouldn't fall to your death.

"Here you go, Mr. Montague. The third floor, and the window on your right."

Above, a warm glow from the window and in your chest urged you forward.

"Keep watch for me, okay?"

She makes an "Okay" signal with her hand, and you begin your ascent.

The rope is dry, so you take off your mittens to get a better grip. It only helps a little, with your hands still dry as well, and in the end, you end up having to grab the damn thing with all your might.

"If you fall, I'll tell her about how badly you wanted to see her! It'll be a win-win!"

"Shut up!"

You reach the edge of the window she was talking about, the warmth of her room now tickling your shivering skin with ever-so-slight ease. The rope still holds tight, and once your hand touchs the windowsill, it becomes a little more clear to you that you'll make it out unscathed.

Carefully, your hand reaches out to tap the window. Then the thought comes to you that if she's off talking to another friend in another room, or if she's using the bathroom, this whole rope scheme of Milly may be a little more difficult that she'd thought. God forbid her roommate, Sophie is there with her. with desperation, your fingers barely tap the glass, only to slip off and cause you to slide back a little.

Milly, covers her face, and for the first time since this all started, begins to regret ever having come up with this idea in the first place.

Should you try to tap the glass, your other hand will have to support the weight, and controlling the rope will be all the more difficult. Left without any other resource, your leg jumps out and the edge of your snow-laced shoe taps the glass. Nothing.

"Try again!"

Your foot jumps out again, and this time, slams on the glass a little harder. Your heart skips a beat, knowing that this will be VERY bad if you break her friggin' window.

A rush of relief and terror slams itself into you when a long-haired shape approaches the window's edge.

She struggles for a moment, but the windows finally part, and she pops her head out.

"H-hello?"

Shirley's hair, messy from a bed-head flips about when she sees you.

"Y/N!? What are you doing?"

An awkward smile crosses your lips, and you fail to come up with an explanation. Here she is, dressed in her pajamas in the middle of the night, and here you are, fully-clothed and creeping up her window. Knowing Milly, she's ducked behind the tree a couple yards away.

Again, her eyes dart back and forth, and you can't help but think how cute she looks with her hair all messy, the strands hanging about over her ears and face.

"Get inside! Quick!"

Her delicate hand grasped yours and with ease, you place your foot on the windowsill and jump inside.

A wave of heat hits your face and warms your core as you step inside. Nothing really too different from what you'd expect. A poster of a popular band (all male performers, of course), a few stuffed animals, and some text books lying about. A little more minimalistic compared to what you'd heard about other girl's rooms.

She sighs, shaking her head. You lower yours in a shame you can't really understand. "What do you think you're doing? You'll get expelled if they catch you coming to the girl's dorm like this!"

"I wanted to talk."

She raised her brow. "Why not at school?"

"You haven't been to school for days! We're all worried about you!"  
Shirley opens her mouth to say something, but stops. Her gaze falls to the floor.

"Alright, sit down."

The room is only softly lit by the lamp sitting next to her messy bed. A blue rabbit serves as the only witness, her roommate, thankfully, not present.

"What has everyone been saying?" She exhales, readying herself for your report.

"They've been wondering if it's a little more than the flu."

A lack of a pale face and redness in her eyes makes it all the more clear that she isn't truly bedridden.

"That's none of their business..." She mumbles, sliding a strand of hair behind her ear.

You see a distant wetness in her eyes against the glow of the lamp, and your heartbeat picks up ever-so-slightly. "Shirley, how long have we known each other?"

She shrugs. "Since our first year."

"You know you can tell me anything, right? You mean a lot to us, Shirley. We miss you."  
Shirley nods. "I know. I'm just nervous...About going back."  
"The girls at the swim club still talking about you?"

"I checked my Lifenet account the other day. What they posted on there...They're....They're so....." You nearly expect tears to rise as her voice rasps, but instead, she falls back on the bed, her arms spread out and her orange hair splayed over the covers. Defeated.

As your pulse begins to quicken steadily, you face the fact that Milly sent you here for a reason. You and Shirley are here, alone unlike any other time you're in school.

Here goes nothing.

You lie down next to her, at a medium distance. She moves her arm and rests on it as she leans to face you.  
"I've missed you to, you know."  
She smiles. "You do?"  
"I don't get to see your smile every morning. The winter is a lot colder without it."

And then you cringe inside. That was so cheesy.

But she giggles, seemingly amused by your " _suave_ " delivery.

"And I missed your conversation."

"If you want, I can call you if you're ever feeling bored. But can you at least start coming back to school?"

She sighs, "I doubt if I have much of a choice. I'm almost out of sick days."

"Good. You can't be cramped up in here all the time."  
"I know, but..." She gets back up, and stares and the floor.

"I told Lelouch how I felt...I said everything, and I understand if he doesn't feel that way."  
You nod, leaning in to listen. "But it still hurts. Rejection always does. But after listening to the way they talk, and what they've been saying, I wonder if...If I'm a nuisance."

"A nuisance?" You taste the word in your mouth, and it's not pleasant.  
"I try to do my best and be nice. To help people, but I wonder if..."  
"If what?" You inquire.

She plays around with a strand of hair between her finger. "If I annoy people rather than-"

"Will you stop it already!" You raise your voice, unable to listen to all of this. "Shirley, what they're saying is nonsense! The reason the student council loves you so much is because you're like that! Lelouch's feelings have nothing to do with that!"

Her eyes fixed on at you, surprised at this passionate outburst. Like a kitten meeting a stranger, she comes back to the bed and slowly takes a seat.

"I hate even knowing that they talked about you like that. That they even have the damn right!"

Realizing you're clenching your fist, you decide to calm down before you end up punching a hole in her wall. You take a deep breath and sit back down with her.

"Shirley...The Truth is...You don't just mean a lot to us...You mean a lot to me."

No turning back. Those emerald eyes of hers are now fixed on you, absorbing every movement you make, every word.

"You're a wonderful girl, Shirley. You're smart, you're helpful. You take time out of your day to help people, and you're friendly to as many people as you can be."

She's blushing now, and your coat feels a lot hotter than before.

"Well...Thank you so much, Y/N..." She whispers with an unwavering gaze.  
"You're capable, funny...And beautiful. Inside and out."

"...O-oh?" She's bright red now. You just barely notice that Shirley is leaning in a little closer to hear you.

"Shirley...You've helped me through a lot. You stayed up all night with me to watch movies together when everyone else was going out on vacation, you know, after my mom died?"

She nods, shaking a little.

"That meant more to me than you'll ever know, and I wish there is some way to repay you and..."

You're hesitating, and you take a moment to fight back your fears that have haunted you in nearly every waking moment. Then you say it.

"Shirley...I love you."

Her chest rises, as if she's inhaling the words you've spoken, but her gaze retains itself.

"And I don't care about what they're saying, or who thinks what about you. I know what you're really like. Don't let the world change you like that."

For a second, you expect her to shake her head, or counter your confession. You spent the entire trip out here preparing yourself for it.

"I guess I'm not crazy then," She smiles, a look you could only really describe as joy filling her face.

"Crazy?"

She gets up, and for some reason, approaches the little trash bin sitting in the room's corner.

"I found these in a trash can right after I confessed."

She reaches inside, and pulls out something that you never thought you'd ever have to see or worry about again. The flowers that Milly gave you, all with that infamous tagline.

_For my dear Shirley._

Her eyes gaze awkwardly at a corner of the room. "Did you...?"

Milly was the one to give you those flowers, but she didn't need to know that. You take the chance while it presents itself. "I was working up the nerve earlier and...yeah.." Your heart still races, anticipating whether or not she'll reject or accept you.

Her face is a mix of surprise and pain. "I'm so sorry! I didn-"

"It's fine, really. It's my fault you didn't know for so long..."

There is a long silence as you two look at each other, taking in the other's image as some neighbors down the hall chat loud enough to hear from this room.

"Hey...Listen." She sits down next to you, and this time, she leans in close enough until your legs are right up against each other, her shoulder on yours, and the faint smell of shampoo eminating from her hair. She rests the crumpled bouquet on the end of the bed.

"The day that I first saw Lulu, I saw how brave and kind he was. Saving an old couple from that driver, and not even thinking about a reward."  
She begins to stroke her hair, and you watch as her right hand's fingers flow through each strand.

"He's clever, he's funny, even if he's a little distant."

You nod, knowing these things, and wondering if maybe she was better off with him. All those documentaries you watched about animals and mate selection invade your thoughts, and cloud them with doubt. Slowly, your hope dies.

"And I've had time to think about why I've thought about him so much in the first place. Why Milly is always making fun of me, and why It took so long for me to confess."

"It's not easy...Trust me, I know," You add.

And then, she turns to you, faint droplets in her eyes.

"The reason why, was because of you."

Your heart stops, and the room falls silent. Quiet enough to hear your own pulse, and the sound of her soft breaths resting on your face.  
"...Me..?"

"Everytime I talked to him, and every time we joked together...I grew to like him because he was so much like you."

Come to think of it, you two did have a similiar, strange sense of humor, not to mention how easily you two came to agree on certain things like politics, movies, student council decisions, etc.

You point this out to her, and she nods, following that bright smile in the dim light of the lamp.

"But it's not just that, you know. You try to be kind to everyone you meet. You like to laugh, you treat everyone fair. You come up with these ideas and concepts that I don't hear from anyone else!"

You shrug, the flattery starting to feel a bit heavy. "They're just thoughts I come up with, nothing special."

"But they are! Those things are special because they're...They're you...And I like that about you. I've liked that about you for longer than you think."

The realization strikes you, and it's too good to be true. You slap yourself in the face to make sure you're dreaming.

"What was that?"

"Nothing..."

She snorts. Then lets out that adorable laughter. The room is flooded with mirth as both of you chuckle over your strange little moment, yours a little more reserved than hers.

"Y/N...I think I fell for you a long time ago."

Her face falls red, and every part of you feels like it could lift into the sky and fly away like a comic book superhero. One question remains unanswered though.

"But..Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know you were interested in me! Milly was putting out some hints, but I thought she was just kidding!"

You find it a little funny. Of course this would come from the girl who still thought she was being discreet about Lelouch even though everyone knew about how she'd felt.

And boy would there be some interrogating once you reached the bottom of that rope.

"Shirley...I hate myself for not telling you sooner."  
"That's okay, Y/N...We're here now, aren't we?"  
She blushes, a playful look on her face as you keep staring at her.

"So...So what should we do now?" Your mouth becomes as dry as the mojave, and your frame as shaky as a fault line on a tetonic plate.

She now seems a little more shy than normal, still retaining that look on her face, but doing everything she can to hide the beet red blush on her cheeks.

"Well...If you want...We can kiss."

It was something you'd romanticized about for a long time. Something that you'd pondered, but abandoned a long time ago, as your hopes for kissing her lips faded with each passing day.

You nod, unable to look away from her gentle, loving face.

"O-okay...Yeah," you mumble, ready to fly into the unknown.

She bites her lip. "Cool...Here goes..."

Slowly, like the protagonist of a high school drama, her eyelids shut, and her lips begin to hover to you.

To retain balance, you grab her left shoulder, nice and gentle, before closing your eyes and trying desperately not to forget the position of her lips.

And then, you hover into it like her.

You connect into an unending bliss. Her touch is like a warm hug, revitilizing every part of you and heightening the senistivity of your lips. It isn't too aggressive, but enough to get a decent taste of each other. She quivers at first, but melts into it as well, and for a long time, the two of you fall into each other's warmth.

It ends, but the feeling still hangs. This is what it must be like to be high. Or drunk. Or both.

You're not a hard party person, and you'd never try it, but you get what I'm saying.

As Shirley pulls out, she softly gasps, taking the air back into her lungs, and looking a little light headed. Moving her orange bangs out of her hair once again, her widened eyes are joined with a smile.

"That was...That was great..." She whispers..."Did...Did you like it?"

You feign uncertainty.  
"I don't know. Wanna try again?"

She nods, and you fall back into bliss for another thirty seconds. With no time to prepare yourself, the feeling floods your brain with an unending joy. Euphoria achieved.

Once you pull back again, you both repeat the previous motions of shock, awe, and joy.

"Yeah...That was fantastic."  
She touches your arm, and guides you down to lie on the bed with her. You both pull close enough to feel each other's breaths, and she begins to softly pet your hair as if you were Arthur, sleeping lazily on the floor.

"I'm so lucky...I've got my own knight in shining armor by my side."

"And I've got my own Rapunzel."

Playfully, she asks, "Why Rapunzel?"

"Have you _seen_ your hair? If you'd seen me down there, I wouldn't have to use a rope! It hangs down to your skirt!" You play with the strands sitting next to you, and you both laugh it off.

A loud thump is heard down the hallway, and she darts up away from you.

"Please don't be upset...I want to be here with you..Really, but you should get out before another girl sees you."

You get up from the bed, nodding in agreement, even if you don't want this night to end. Still, you've become the happiest guy in Ashford Academy, and that was well enough.

As you put your coat on, you ask her something else. "Also...If you're not busy. Do you want to take a walk around the Mall after school tomorrow?

Shirley clasps her hands together like a jumpy toddler. "Of course! I don't have a swim meet that night, either! And...Maybe we can stop for dinner too?"

"Only if we can see a movie at the clubhouse. Just you and me, I promise."

"It's a date!" She grins.

Once again, you slowly manage to grasp the rope outside, and slide back down into the snow, waving bye to her as you go. The window shuts, but your heart beats with a fury you never knew it could summon.

"S-s-so, how'd it go?" Milly asked, still here for some reason, and shivering from the light, chilly wind.

"You waited out here the whole time?"

"How else will I find out as soon as possible? I wouldn't be much of a council president if I left you behind, would I?"

"Trust me, Milly. I think you've done enough for me already."

You both begin to walk to the dorm's entrance, the council president probably planning to go to her own room while you head back to yours.  
"C'mon! Won't ol' Y/N tell one of his oldest friends about his tryst with Shirley?"

"I think the details should stay just between us."

Finally, Milly shrugs her shoulders, giving in and continuing to walk with you. "Have it your way."

She might go ahead and start spreading some silly rumor, or make some jokes about you two once you and Shirley started to really hit it off. But that didn't matter.

For the first time ever, your Valentine's day had been complete, and nothing could take that away from you.

Especially with a bright tomorrow ahead.

_Fin_


End file.
